


Very Well Put Together

by BigGhost



Series: conkus is the name of this ship now [2]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Professors, Awkward Flirting, Awkward first meeting, M/M, Professor AU, it's all just very awkward and they are both disasters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-01
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-05-16 23:32:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14821002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BigGhost/pseuds/BigGhost
Summary: Professor Markus Manfred is an art professor.  Connor Anderson is the new criminal studies professor.  They meet, and Markus is Smitten™.





	Very Well Put Together

Professor Markus Manfred was a man that was not unfamiliar with seeing things that made his mind go, “Huh.”

He was an artist.  He was used to facing challenges and dissecting things to figure out what made them pop.  He liked taking things apart, figuring them out, creating something out of nothing.

Then he met Connor Anderson.

Professor Anderson was a proper young man: about Markus’ age, maybe a bit younger; clean, pressed, and always presentable; perfect hair, clear skin, big doey eyes.  He walked with a sure and deliberate stride that brought Markus’ eyes up Connor’s long legs, up the perfect curve of his back, all the way up to the gentle style of his hair.  He had heard his voice in passing at the coffee machine, when he would politely excuse himself out of the way with a little mug. It was like a lovely combination of smooth and pleasantly graveled, like the voice of someone who had just woken up.

Connor was the new professor for criminal studies.  His department was next door to the art building, and Markus passed him in the halls from time to time.

Despite on the outside being very prep-school boy typical, and like the type that would loudly tell you why string theory was absolute bullshit, Connor was actually quiet and fairly meek.  He didn't draw much attention to himself, and even seemed a bit awkward when more than one person spoke to him in the break room.

Markus had heard that Connor became popular with the students, and even earned a place as the new school heart throb.  Even his students would whisper over their paintings about the new professor. It piqued his interest enough that Markus decided to sit in on one of Professor Anderson's classes.  What was all the fuss about this new professor about? Sure, he was cute, but if he behaved anything like he did in the lounge, he wouldn't last the year.

He sat as far back as he could, almost in the shadows of the room to keep Connor from seeing him.  To his surprise, the new professor seemed to blossom under the watchful eye of his students. Whether they listened out of interest or thirst for their attractive new teacher, Markus wasn't sure.  But still, they were engaged, and the class went smoothly.

Markus observed Connor with the watchful eye of an artist.  Connor moved with a fluidity honed by years of training the body to be ever mindful of itself.  He walked with purpose, confidence, and pride. But he was also gentle, quiet, and had an air about him that left Markus wanting more.  He spoke with a patience that took most teachers years to develop. It was a sort of patience that made the people around him feel safe, wanted, and accepted.  Sometimes students would ask a question more than once, and Connor would take the time to explain the concept to them until they had their “aha!” moment.

By the end of the class, when students began shuffling out and bidding the professor goodbye, Markus had seen enough to determine that the new addition of Connor Anderson was a good one.  He was a modest, intelligent, and direct young man who could doll himself up well enough to attract every heart on campus. Markus could admit that even he could see the appeal in Connor, physically and mentally.

“Professor Manfred,” a familiarity smooth-but-not voice called after the room had cleared.  Markus almost wasn't sure he'd heard it. Connor had never spoken to anyone directly, let alone said their name.  But there he was, approaching Markus with a sort of swagger that came with knowing your shit.

“I do hope that the class was up to par,” he said.  Markus couldn't quite place it, but his voice had an edge of something almost defensive.

Markus looked around bashfully, face flushed at being caught spying.  If he were honest, he hadn't expected Connor to see him. He'd sat in on plenty of his friend Kara’s humanities classes, and he was pretty sure that North had caught him in her classes too, but pretended she hadn't.

Markus awkwardly shrugged, hands out.  “Sorry, I… didn't mean to intrude on your class.  Just wanted to check out the new professor, y’know?  I don’t mean to offend you.”

Connor’s face flashed with a bit of surprise and confusion behind his glasses.  The tense silence between them hung like a weight. “You… aren’t here to critique me?”   
  
Markus balked.  Wh…? “N-No! I was just—like I said, I was just watching!”  Connor didn’t look convinced. Markus put his hands up in surrender.  “I swear! I just wanted to check out what all the fuss was about!”   
  
“Fuss?”   
  
“Well, yeah!  All my students won’t shut up about you!”   
  
Connor’s eyebrows raised just a little.  “I’m… sorry?”   


Markus shut his mouth with a click when he realized his slip.  “Er, I don’t mean they’re spreading rumors about you! Just that you’re attractive!  Which you are, I mean! You… you are very…” he said as he gestured to Connor’s… everything.  Lord Christ almighty, he wanted to crawl into a hole and  _ die _ .  “Very… put together.”  He set his hands on his hips and nodded with affirmation.  Yes, good.  _ That  _ saved it, Markus.  Way to go.

Connor’s eyes shifted around, trying to make sense of the interaction Markus had just forced him to have.  His mouth opened and closed, trying to form a response, and his eyebrows furrowed together as he pieced together the information.  Finally, his eyebrows raised up again and he took a deep breath. “Okay, well, Professor Manfred, this has been very… informative?”

Markus bit his lip and made his way to the door.  He pointed at it awkwardly as he leaned to leave. “I’ll just… show myself out.  Thank you for letting me stay, it was very interesting.” He stopped himself from making a dash for the door.

“Professor Manfred!”   


_ God.  If you’re real.  Let it end. _

Markus paused in his reach for the door.  He turned slowly to face Connor, as much as he didn’t want to.  Connor seemed almost… amused? Like he wanted to laugh, but wasn’t sure if he was allowed to.  “You are also very ‘put together.’” He smiled. Fuck, he  _ smiled  _ at him.  Markus felt his body flush red and prayed Connor couldn’t see it.  He felt his adam’s apple bob with a gulp as he stumbled backwards for the door handle.  He chuckled nervously, swallowing down the butterflies that suddenly fluttered in his stomach.  “Uh… you can, er, please, just call me Markus!” he said as he exited the classroom into the empty hallway.  “Markus is my first name,” he confirmed. He inwardly kicked himself. Obviously he knew that, Markus! Off to a great first impression!

Connor nodded, mulling over the name a little, and smiled again, “Okay, Markus.  I’m Connor.”

Markus bit his lips into a hard line and nodded, not trusting himself to talk anymore.  The door shut between them, leaving Markus alone in the hall with the low hum of the air vents.

He’d given Connor his name.

Connor had given him  _ his  _ name!

And he smiled!

Markus let a laugh escape him in a breath.  His face broke into a big smile, flustered by the compliment Connor had apparently given him.  Markus knew himself to be an attractive person, but it was different when someone else attractive said it.  He felt like a teenager.

He whipped his phone out of his back pocket and tapped away at the screen.  He had to tell North about this.

**Author's Note:**

> i wanna do a couple drabbles of this au but lol ive said that about other stuff before
> 
> send me prompts at sugarbath (dot) tumblr (dot) com, ask for an invite to our D:BH discord, or find my other works!


End file.
